Question: On Shavuos, when frying cheese blintzes on a stove top, some of the Milchig Blintzes spilled over the frying pan and landed below, in the area of the flame. Soon thereafter, a Fleishig pot was placed on this stove top and cooked a meat tavshil. What is the status of both the meat tavshil, and the meat pot?

Answer:  The Halacha[1] states that if Dairy was cooked in a pot, that pot becomes a "dairy pot".  Similarly,  the same applies if some of that Dairy consistency ended up on the stove top, the stove top becomes Dairy[2].

The Halacha[3] also states that one should not place both a meat and dairy pot next to each other while they are being cooked. This is because there is a chance that some of the tavshil from one of the pots may end up in the other pot (בשר בחלב) . If some of the food from one pot spilled under the other pot and touched that pot (when the pot was hot), that pot is forbidden and the food in the hot pot has to be a minimum of 60 times more than the amount of the spillage that touched the pot, for the contents to be permitted[4] .

However if the spillage was only a minute amount, that might be "burnt out" by the flame underneath it, and it spilled "near" the fire, both pots are Kosher[5]. In addition, even if there was a considerable amount that spilled, if the spillage was cleaned before the other pot was put there, both the pot and its contents are permitted[6].

The din is different, however, if there was a considerable amount that spilled below the flame, or even if it was a small amount, when it landed in a place where the fire couldnt "burn it out" (ie. not within the flames reach). In this scenario, if the Meat pot has already become hot and the spillage from the Dairy pot is touching the meat pot, the pot is no longer kosher, and the food is not permitted either[7]. If however, the Meat pot is still cold, the food inside it is permitted[8].

If the dairy spillage is NOT touching the pot (which is most likely the case because our stove tops have "metal grates" upon which the pot rests), the meat pot requires Kashering[9] and the food is permitted in a case of great need, [10]  ideally, though, one should be Machmir.   

L’halacha: One should make sure to clean the stove top and let the fire burn out all the remains of the dairy spillage before cooking meat.[11].

Daily inspiration:

The foundation of a good relationship is communication. By remaining "cool" and "calm" a peaceful relationship with cooperation and compromise can be fostered. A cool and calm attitude comes from a sense of self awareness and self confidence.

---

[1] שו"ע יו"ד סי' צ"ג:א עי' סי' צ"ד ש"ך ס"ק ט"ו

[2] שו"ע צ"ז:ב שוע"ר סי' תצ"ד:טז

[3] שו"ע סי' קי"ח ש"ך ס"ק לו

[4] שו"ע סי' צ"ב::ז ברמ"א שם

[5] שם סעי' ו'

[6] מדין ב' קדירות עי' שו"ע סי' צ"ב:ח רמ"א שם וסי' ק"ח ושוע"ר סי' תנ"א:ס"ז וראה סי' ק"ה בחוו"ד סק טו ודרכ"ת סי' צ"ב:קכג

[7] רמ"א סי' צ"ב:ז וש"ך ס"ק ל"ב-ג שוע"ר סי' תנ"א:מ"ב ועי' שם סעי' ס"ז ופס"ד צ"צ סי' צ"ב סעי' ה:ו

[8] שם ש"ך ס"ק ל"א ופס"ד שם ועי' דרכ"ת שם סק קכו

[9] כנלע"ד מדין 'זיעה' עי' שו"ע סי' צ"ב:ח ושוע"ר סי' תנ"א:מ"א ופס"ד:ח ועי' דרכי תשובה סי' קי"ח:ע"ט

[10] כנלע"ד דאע"פ יש זיעת חלב וא"כ דינו כטיפת חלב שנפלה לחוץ הקדירה דצריך ספ"ס עי' פס"ד סעי' ח:א מ"מ יש להקל בהתבשיל מכמה טעמים א' דהאש שורף הזיעה במקומו עי' מג"א סי' תנ"א סק מ"ד ושוע"ר סי' תנ"א:ס"ח ודרכ"ת סי' צ"ב:קס"ה, ב' ע"פ מג"א סי' תנ"א סק מ"ד  (ושוע"ר סי' תנ"א:ס"ז )דלא נאסר מדין זיעה עי' ברעק"א שם ודוחק, וג' שנעשית לפגם עי' דרכ"ת צ"ב:קכ"ג ומצד שמחת יו"ט בהפ"מ אפשר לצטרף הכל, אמנם מצד הקדירה כיון שאפשר בהגעלה יש מקום להחמיר ועצ"ע.  

[11] שוע"ר סי' תצ"ד:טז דרכ"ת סי' קי"ח שם